US asserts Thailand an ally, hopes democratic rule will be restored soon

BANGKOK, June 9 — Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Thailand’s permanent secretary for foreign affairs, attended the Senior Officials’ Meeting of the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Yangon, Myanmar, last week and said many countries now better understood Thailand.

Senior representatives from other countries including the United States, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, South Korea and India had been present and he had taken the opportunity to explain the situation in Thailand.

Thailand was solving its problems to quickly restore its order, he reported, and they understood Thailand.

Mr Sihasak said that Daniel Russel, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told the meeting that Thailand was an important partner and he hoped that Thailand would return to democracy soon.

Mr Sihasak said that Australia, New Zealand and other countries had more confidence in Thailand after learning about its three-stage roadmap to democracy.

He also said that he would allay international concerns about human rights in Thailand to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva next week. Some limitations to freedom would be short-lived to ensure peace and prevent violence in the country and such measures were already relaxed, Mr Sihasak explained.